Collapsible stands



June 1956 w. HERRSCHAFT COLLAPSIBLE STANDS Filed Jan. 13, 1953 INVENTOR1 1 1 I I 1 I "1 r I. I rlllnz VII'IIIIIIIIIII:

United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE STANDS William Herrschaft, New York, N.Y., assignor to Herrschaft Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporationof New York Application January 13; 1953, Serial No. 330,981

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-164) Thisinvention relates to improvements incollapsible stands, particularly stands such as maybe convenientlyemployedin conjunction with flat or dished tops to form tables, or thelike, and the principal-object of the invention:is to provide a stand ofthis type which may be quickly and easily erected or collapsed and whichmay beexpeditiously adjusted so as to accommodate tops of differentsizes.

M'ore'specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of astandembodying a plurality of crossed legs and novel. means foradjustablyand collapsibly connecting: the legs-together at their pointof crossing, the arrangement being such that the legs are constantlyurged toward the-verticalaxis of the stand and their upper end portionsare thus sustainedinfrictional gripping engagement with the stand top.

An important feature of the invention therefore resides in the novel legconnecting means which facilitate the frictional engagement of the legswith the top of the stand, regardless of the size of the top, whileanother feature lies in the provision of means on upper end portions ofthe legs for properly seating the top, so that the entire unit issubstantially rigid and stable when in its erected position.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its very simple butdurable construction, in its convenient portability and collapsibility,in its pleasing appearance and in its adaptability to economicalmanufacture.

With the above more important object, features and advantages in view,and others such as may become apparent hereinafter, the inventionresides in the construction shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible stand in its erectedposition,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the stand in its collapsed position,

Figure 3 is a sectional detail illustrating the stand top engaging andseating means at the upper end of one of the legs,

Figure 4 is a sectional detail showing one form of the leg connectingmeans,

Figure 5 is an elevational view showing a second form of the legconnecting means,

Figure 6 is a sectional detail showing a third form of the legconnecting means,

Figure 7 is a sectional detail showing a fourth form of the legconnecting means, and

Figure 8 is a sectional detail showing a fifth form of the legconnecting means.

Corresponding reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thespecification and in the drawings.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the inventioncomprises a collapsible stand which is designated generally by thereference character 10 and embodies in its construction a plurality ofcrossed legs 12 which are provided at their lower ends with suitablefeet 14, preferably of resilient material.

2,749,147 Patented June 5, 1956 The legs 12 are adjustably connectedtogether at their point of crossing by the coupling means C, severalembodiments of which are disclosed, as will-be hereinafter specificallydescribed. With reference to Figure 1', it will suffice to say, for nowthat the coupling'means Care such as to urge theupper and lowerends,respectively, ofIthe legs 12 together, whereby a suitable top member. 16may be frictionally engaged by and supported betweenthe upper ends-ofthe legs.

To assist the legs in performing this function, the upper ends thereofmay be equipped withv rubberwlike-elements or. headsIS', preferablyhaving annular grooves 20. therein to afford seats, so to speak, for themarginal edges of the top. member 16, as is best shown'in Figure 3.

It may be added at this point that although the accom? panying drawingsdisclose the stand as being composed of only three legs and the topmember 16 as being sub; stantially circular in form, it shouldbeunderstood that any plurality of legs may be employed and that the. topmember may be of any suitable geometrical configuration; 'Moreover, thetop member may be. either flat or dishedor simply in the formof a plainring or annulus, by which other auxiliary top members (not illustrated)maybe supported.

Referring now to the accompanying Figure. 4 which illustrates oneembodimentof the connecting.means:C-, the same consists of a relatively,rigid tubular sleeve 24 containing a substantially tubular:bushing.26 ofresilient material, thelatter beingssomewhatlonger than the sleeve sothat it projects therefrom at both ends, as shown".v The legs 12 extendthrough the bushing and are frictionally engaged thereby.

In another embodiment of the connecting or coupling means C shown inFigure 5, the substantially tubular resilient bushing 28 is contained ina tubular sleeve which consists of a closely wound helical coil 30which, although being more rigid than the bushing 28, is more flexibleand resilient than the aforementioned sleeve 24 and, by virtue of itsflexibility and resiliency, coacts at least to some degree with thebushing 28.

In a further modified embodiment of the coupling means shown in Figure6, a relatively rigid tubular sleeve 32 is fully embedded in asubstantially tubular resilient bushing 34, the interior of whichfrictionally engages the legs 12, as illustrated.

A still further modified embodiment of the coupling means shown inFigure 7 embodies a relatively rigid tubular sleeve 36, while theresilient bushings associated with the sleeve assume the form of aplurality of separate tubular jackets 33 of resilient material, whichare frictionally slidable on the respective legs 12 while being disposedin and engaged by the sleeve 36.

Finally, the embodiment of the coupling means shown in Figure 8comprises a pair of vertically spaced, relatively rotatable plates 40which are provided with apertures, one of which is shown at 42,toreceive resilient tubular jackets 44 frictionally slidable on therespective legs 12. An annular spacer 46 is disposed between the plates40 and a clamping screw 48, equipped with a wing nut 50, extendsvertically through the plates so as to clamp the same against the spacer46.

When the stand is placed in use, the upper ends of the legs 12 arespread apart and the top member 16 is engaged with the grooves seats 20in the heads 18. Regardless of which embodiment of the coupling means Cis employed, the slender legs 12 possess a certain amount of resiliencywhich sustains the heads 18 in frictional gripping engagement with thetop member while portions of the legs at their point of crossing arebound together by the coupling means. In the coupling means shown inFigures 4, 5 and 6, this action is further emphasized by 3 the bushings26, 28 and 34, respectively, which at all times urge the legs together.The jackets 38 in the coupling means of Figure 7 function in a similarmanner, so that when the top member 16 is removed, the standautomatically assumes a slender, collapsed form as shown in Figure 2.

In the coupling means of Figure 8 the two plates 40 are rotatablerelative to each other so that the legs 12 may be adjusted to properangular positions for gripping the top member, whereupon the clampingscrew 48 is tightened. The jackets 44 coact with the inherent resiliencyof the legs in causing the upper ends of the legs to grip the top memberand it' should be understood, of course, that upon removing the topmember and loosening the screw 48, a stand with coupling means of Figure8 may also be collapsed to a slender form, substantially as shown inFigure 2.

By sliding the coupling means C upwardly or downwardly on the legs 12,the stand may be readily adjusted to accommodate top members 16 ofvarious sizes. For best results from the standpoint of proper stabilityand rigidity, the coupling means C should be spaced downwardly from theupper ends of the legs by a distance which is substantially equal to thediameter or width of the top member to which the legs are to be applied.

While various embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, it willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptibleto further changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof; therefore, it is desired that only such limitations be placedupon the scope of the invention as are set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a collapsible stand and the like, the combination of a pluralityof crossed legs formed from rod-shaped material, a substantially tubularresilient bushing frictionally encircling said legs at their point ofcrossing and urging the same together, and a substantially tubularreinforcing sleeve frictionally mounted on the outer surface of saidbushing, end portions of said bushing projecting beyond the ends of saidsleeve, whereby the end portions of the bushing are subject to limitedlateral deflection by said legs.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said sleeve comprises arigid tube.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said sleeve comprises aclosely wound helical coil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS509,005 Voeltzkow Nov. 21, 1893 583,013 Ebert May 18, 1897 615,476Chapman Dec. 6, 1898 664,976 Sheffy et a1. Jan. 1, 1901 668,826 WadeFeb. 26, 1901 874,003 Grauel Dec. 17, 1907 1,295,265 Bradley Feb. 25,1919 1,355,944 Dale Oct. 19, 1920 1,477,233 Alexander Dec. 11, 19231,783,558 Brown Dec. 2, 1930 1,940,565 Schoot Dec. 19, 1933 1,977,848Gwynn Oct. 23, 1934 2,010,342 Woods Aug. 6, 1935 2,368,740 Blomgren Feb.6, 1945 2,712,462 Latzen July 5, 1955

